While people are intimidated by “troll farms”, fake profiles and comments on social networks, fake news in the media, the influence of various “satellites” and similar news portals on the minds and hearts of gullible Latvians, right now we are witnessing a real hybrid war. And it is being conducted effectively.
Public opinion can only be influenced through the media that a specific part of the people trusts, considering them their own. Well, it is impossible to somehow influence the Latvian with the publications of Vesti or the stories of the First Baltic Channel. It's good if he even knows about the existence of these media. On the contrary, with the sensible use of the Latvian media, public attention and emotions (read - anger), a shift in the right direction can be achieved with lightning speed.
For quite a long time, BPBC has been listening to the conversations of Ainar Slesers for three years in a row. Let the questions remain out of the brackets this time: why the wiretapping was carried out only in one hotel, were there any grounds for wiretapping for three years, why the entire arsenal of operational means available to the "Knab's" Pinkertons in the final gave nothing more. There was no criminal-legal result in this whole epic and there is no. But the talks were leaked into the media, and political hype arose. And instead of a specific official, if the court finds him guilty, was in jail, this hype led to a "coup d'etat" and the dissolution of the Seimas. The idea of this knowledgeable people managed to inspire Zatlers. A one-day event arose - Zatlers' party. The directors of the event came to power, a coalition with "Consent" was almost created, Zatlers himself was later sent to the political dustbin.
Today we got to the 2nd episode of the event 10 years ago. On the table there is again the old soup, slightly warmed up. If you succeeded once, why not try again? The novelty lies only in new, purposefully selected fragments of conversations, which are proclaimed sufficient grounds to demand the resignation of Prosecutor General Erik Kalnmeyers and Minister of Agriculture Janis Duklavs.
Of course, each of us always carries incl. moral responsibility for any act or word spoken. But, in my opinion, the only political mistake of Mr. Duklavs lies in the ambitions declared before the congress of the Peasant Union to change the leadership of August Brigmanis. Secretly recorded private conversations without legal evidence are just recorded conversations. If you write down the daily communication of any person for three years, I am sure there would be more than just something to blush and pale about. Professionals would surely be able to pick up some article.
Let us at least recall the recordings of the conversations of the journalist Ilze Jaunalkse, made by the SRS Financial Police. There were drugs, crude Russian curses, and primitive mockery of Vaira Vike-Freiberga. Not to mention the fact that they clearly showed the real methods of work with a pure-hearted journalist.
Uncontrolled leakage of selected fragments of legally protected information or at least their retelling in the media here and now threatens the stability of the state and society much more than "satellites" and "troll farms".
We can only guess what the true goals and interests of the people in whose hands there is such information are, guess what other names or positions are included in the agenda. The striking political events of recent days - resignations, announcements of new parties, tense rhetoric - unfortunately force us to conclude that the political feud among the Latvians themselves threatens us much more than the hand of Moscow. An anthill, or a jar of spiders, as you like best, began to move. Alas, with such permissiveness and legal nihilism, none of the top officials had the courage to say clearly - stop, that's enough!
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We are all dragged into the epicenter of a real hybrid war.